PLASA Online to Begin Monday for Five Days of Business, Technical, and Product Sessions

Next week from October 12 - 16, PLASA, the lead association for the entertainment technology industry, is hosting PLASA Online, a five-day program of curated business, technical, and product sessions. Each session is designed to provide education, guidance, and inspiration during this challenging time.

Several leading brands will present their latest products, including lighting brands Chauvet, Elation, ETC, and Martin. Sennheiser will showcase their new range, and Adam Hall and Highlite will take a look at a variety of their products for both lighting and audio. DiGiCo will detail how they use Audinate's Dante with their mixing platforms, Vectorworks will host a training session on event production and design, and Broadweigh will present case studies of their wireless load monitoring solutions being used in international shows and tours.

Business webinars are planned throughout the week: renowned economist Roger Martin-Fagg will outline pathways and predictions on the UK's economic recovery; HR expert Nicky Gleadow will provide advice on employment, support schemes, and redundancies; and award-winning speaker Marcus Child will give practical tips to inspire better leadership and company culture. Additionally, a panel of industry and trade bodies will discuss ways of preparing for Brexit. PLASA's MD Peter Heath will be joined by Naomi Pohl of Musicians' Union, Lisa Ryan of EFM Global Logistics, and Peter Bishop of London Chamber of Commerce and Industry. This session will prove unmissable for both companies and freelancers who work and trade with the EU member states.

In light of challenges that have emerged in the COVID era, chartered safety practitioner and production manager Tom Goode will discuss event production in the new COVID environment. Joining him will be Karl Raw, health and safety inspector for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Dominique Perrissin-Fabert, health and safety manager for the Royal Opera House, and Ben Stephen, head of operations and production for the Albany. Together they will share how they have adapted workplaces and practices and will answer questions from the virtual audience. In other sessions, James Simpson will look at the future of virtual and digital theatre, James Eade will unpack the latest changes in PAT testing guidelines, and Nathanael Dannenberg of Signify will reveal how to harness the power of UV-C lighting for disinfection.

To highlight the importance of mental health, PLASA's Peter Heath will speak with Eric Mtungwazi from Music Support and Pat O'Toole, an experienced coach, trainer, and consultant, to share ways of managing mental health and wellbeing. Whether you are a business owner looking after a team of remote workers, an employee struggling with isolation, or a freelancer worrying about finances, this session will touch upon how we can all help ourselves and each other. PLASA Online is running from 12-16 October and it is free to sign up for sessions. Find out more at the link below.